Just This Once
by Persephone1
Summary: Deep down, all Ayame had ever really wanted from his brother was to be needed. But Yuki had never seemed to need anyone. At least, that was what he always thought before one rainy night brought the boy to his door step.
1. Wet Sabotage

**Author's Note: **This is my own personal contribution to **Gia**'s SBBorg Movement. I really love brotherly fluff, and there isn't nearly enough on this site. Please keep in mind that this is my first Fruits Basket story, so if the characters are off, please bear with me. I'm fairly confident in my portrayal of Yuki, but in the course of this story I have found new respect in anyone who can write his brother accurately. Ayame is _hard. _

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Fruits Basket, but if I did, the first thing I would do is force Ayame to tell me the secret of how he gets his hair so shiny.

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**Chapter One: Wet Sabotage**

The local weatherman was an idiot, Yuki decided darkly as he walked down the street. He had promised warm weather and clear skies all day long today. Instead it was cold and gloomy, with dark clouds blocking any possible light. A clear statement that, despite the fact that it was supposedly early spring, winter wasn't quite ready to relinquish its claim yet.

And here Yuki was, outside late at night without a jacket because he had foolishly chosen to _listen_ to the man.

Though, if he had had his way, he would've been home long before the weather had turned south. Unfortunately, after school he had been required to attend a student council meeting, effectively derailing any possible free time he might have enjoyed.

This meeting in particular had been especially time consuming because it was the last one of the term, when students came in and stated their grievances with the school system. If someone made a good case, the complaint was brought to the principal, who made the final decision about what was to be done about the problem.

It was a good idea in theory, but people tended to taked advantage of the priveledge. As a result, Yuki had been forced to sit and listen to a bunch teenagers whine about everything from unfair detentions to excessive amounts of homework. However, the true cream of the crop had been a group of boys who felt that the dress code for the female student body was too restrictive (a speech they had already presented to him twice earlier in the year). And every second that Yuki probably should have been calmly listening, he spent wondering why he had run for student council president in the first place, and continually reminding himself that no matter how annoying he might find them, punching another student would be a _bad_ idea. Even if it was after school hours.

To make matters worse, just when Yuki had thought that he was finally free for the weekend, he had been cornered by the members of the planning committee for the upcoming school dance. Apparently, they had discovered a local inn which they considered to be the perfect location for the festivities, but it needed to be shown it to him first before any final arrangements were made. This was because, according to them, he was the committee chairman. (How this had happened, Yuki wasn't certain, because he definitely hadn't volunteered for the position or been made aware of it before tonight. He hadn't even been planning on attending the dance in the first place.)

He had wanted to say no. He _should _have said no. But they had looked so excited and hopeful, like little puppies that were eager to please, that Yuki had found himself agreeing to allow the group to give him a grand tour of the premises, while they gushed on and on about the place's "romantic atmosphere".

As soon as talk turned to decorating and possible expenses, Yuki made his leave, mostly because he was beginning to get uncomfortable with the looks some of the female committee members were shooting him.

Unfortunately, by the time he had made it out to his freedom, it was late at night and he was stranded in an unfamiliar part of town.

Most kids his age would have just pulled out their cell phone, but Yuki didn't have one, and even if he had, it wouldn't have helped his situation. Shigure didn't own a car, and anyway, Yuki personally felt that he was far safer wandering the streets all alone at night than he ever would be riding with Shigure. The man wasn't even completely certain whether he had a driver's license or not.

So, in the end Yuki decided to just keep on walking, hoping that he would eventually come across a familiar street or landmark.

Admittedly, it wasn't the best idea he had ever come up with. Yuki knew that. But under the circumstances, there really wasn't much more he could do, so he tried to take a page out of Tohru's book and be optimistic. After all, at least things couldn't get any worse, right?

Unless of course it started raining.

If someone who happened to know Yuki had chanced to walk by in that exact moment, they would have been rather surprised by the usually polite, soft spoken young prince's rather colorful vocabulary as the heavens opened up and released fat, cold droplets of water over his head like liquid bullets.

Yuki was honestly beginning to suspect that someone up there hated him.

In a matter of seconds, the rat was soaked through, and in about the same amount of time, the morning weatherman had temporarily usurped Kyo's long held title as "Most Stupid and Hated Person on the Planet".

Desperately, Yuki ran through the streets, still cursing and trying in vain to use his book bag as a shield against the rain. He needed to find some sort of shelter. The way his luck was going today, a transformation couldn't be far off, and no good could come from being so small in this kind of weather.

Yuki almost felt like crying with relief when he caught sight of what looked like a shop. (For all he knew, he might have. It was hard to tell in the rain.) It was too dark, and his vision too blurred by water to make out the establishment's name on the sign next to the door, but at the moment, Yuki didn't care. The only thing that mattered was that there were still lights on inside.

As soon as he was within range, Yuki seized the door handle and lunged across the threshold with such force that if the door had opened any slower, it might have been knocked of its hinges.

Only to be blinded by a sudden explosion of color.

Yuki blinked slowly to clear the spots from his eyes, taking in the vaguely familiar sight of bright skirts and lacy aprons. It took him a second to process what this all meant, but when he finally did, his mind was sent reeling back in horror.

This _couldn't _be happening. Things like this just didn't occur in real life. It was too ironic, too much of a coincidence that out of all the shops in the city, the one he had ended up taking refuge in…

"I'm sorry, but the shop is closed. You'll have to come bac—Yuki?"

…would be Ayame's.

For a few bare moments, the two brothers merely stared at each other, both too surprised (and in Yuki's case, out of breath from all that running) to speak. But as always, Ayame was the one to break the silence first.

"Yuki! I didn't know you were coming to see me today! What a pleasant surpr—" abruptly, Ayame cut himself of, suddenly noticing his brother's shivering, dripping state. "You're soaking wet!"

Yuki couldn't help but roll his eyes at this rather obvious statement. "Well, it is raining outside." he pointed out dryly.

He would never be certain on how Ayame always seemed to be able to get to one end of the room to the other in a split second. All he knew was that, seemingly in an instant, his brother was inches away and clasping Yuki's hands, eyes sparkling.

"How brave! To have fought a desperate battle against Mother Nature herself, all to fulfill your deep desire to see your loving older brother--"

"It wasn't planned," Yuki interrupted flatly. "I was on my way home when it started raining. I headed for the closest building I could find."

Yuki's explanation didn't deter Ayame in the slightest. If anything, it only seemed to excite him further. "So in your quest for warmth and shelter, you walked into my shop, perhaps instinctively led here by the hands of fate!"

If Yuki had known that this was where "fate" was going to carry him, he would've taken his chances with the elements.

"Come on, Yuki! You can dry off upstairs!" Ayame declared, enthusiastically tugging on his brother's hand (which he had never completely let go of) and dragging him up to the second floor.

Yuki tried to protest, but the snake wasn't listening, not that he ever did.

Finally, they reached the top of the stairs, and with a flourish Ayame opened the door leading to the apartment he lived in with Mine above the store.

"It's a little small," he admitted with a smile, "but Mine and I manage just fine. And of course, I did all the decorating myself!"

Yuki didn't find that hard to believe. The apartment was a bit more muted than the shop, but it still screamed "Ayame" in every corner. The walls were light blue and were decorated with floral patterns and drawings of young woman wearing what could only be Ayame's own designs. The floor was paneled in wood and covered with several pink and white throw rugs that matched the curtains framing the windows.

Pushed into a corner was a small desk scattered with papers and various drawing utensils. It was half hidden by a dark blue Chinese screen that formed a makeshift door. Ayame's "office" Yuki assumed.

"The kitchen is over there," Ayame said, indicating a small, diner style area that was cut off from the rest of the room by a white island and stools. "And the bathroom, as well as both Mine's bedroom and mine are down that hall."

"Where is Kuramae-san?" Yuki asked curiously.

"She's visiting her family this weekend. She won't be back until Monday."

"Oh." Yuki said, absentmindedly crossing his arms around his chest in an attempt to retain warmth.

This action seemed to draw Ayame's attention. "Yuki? Are you all right?"

The juunishi nodded faintly. "I'm fine. I should probably call home, though. I imagine that everyone is probably wondering where I am by now."

"I'll do that." Ayame assured him, "You just relax and make yourself comfortable."

Yuki wasn't given any time to reply as the snake made a dash down the hallway, presumably to take the call in his own room, leaving his brother standing in the middle of the living room, feeling distinctly out of place.

_How exactly am I supposed to "make myself comfortable? _he wondered. He couldn't sit down without getting water on the furniture, and to make matters worse, Ayame owned a white couch. True, it had zebra stripes on it, but it was white all the same. And while Yuki wasn't exactly always fond of his elder brother, that didn't mean he wanted to ruin his furniture.

Fortunately, he wasn't left there very long before Ayame reappeared. However, his arrival only caused Yuki's discomfort to be replaced by a sense of uneasiness. The man's smile was entirely too suspicious for his presence to be reassuring.

"Well, it looks like you're staying with me tonight."

And now he knew why.

"_What_?" Yuki asked incredulously, looking as if Ayame had just informed him that Akito was actually a woman in disguise.

"I talked to Shigure, and we both agreed that it's far too nasty out there to attempt walking home tonight." Ayame explained.

"And you just decided this on your own without even asking my opinion?" Yuki snapped, irritation growing in his chest.

"If I had asked, you would have walked out then and there." Ayame pointed out.

"I still might." Yuki growled, glaring challengingly.

But Ayame didn't even bat an eyelash. He simply walked over to the TV set and switched it on. The screen flickered and showed a weatherman (not the same one from this morning, which was fortunate because if it had been, there was a very good chance that Yuki's foot would have found its way through the center of the screen), pointing at various maps indicating swirls of color in their general area.

"—merely a preview of things to come. This storm is only going to get worse as the night goes on. My only advice to the people at home is to stay inside, because the only way you'll be able to get anywhere safely is by boat."

It was then that Yuki expanded the scope of his hatred not only to the man this morning, but to all meteorologists in general.

The Zodiac rat scowled. "I'm sure it's not _that _bad."

At that very moment, an ominous crash of thunder rumbled through the building, followed by a crack of lightning that caused the lights to flicker briefly.

Ayame raised his eyebrows.

Yuki sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll stay." He may have been stubborn, but he wasn't stupid.

As soon as the words left his lips, Ayame proceeded to grab Yuki and twirl him around in a circle excitedly.

"This is going to be so much fun!" he squealed, eyes shining. "It'll be just like a sleepover! We'll make popcorn, tell ghost stories, and stay up all night long!"

And then he frowned, noticing the growing puddle forming on his floor for the first time. "But first we should get you into some dry clothes." Ayame suggested, and then, as if he had just been struck by an unexpected epiphany, his face lit up in a way that immediately put Yuki on guard. "I have just the thing!"

The idea of wearing something his brother owned made Yuki feel very, very nervous.

"No!" he protested quickly. "That won't be necessary. I'm fine just the way I am."

Ayame laughed. "Don't be silly, Yuki! I can't allow my precious little brother to lounge around in soaking wet clothes. It goes against my principles as a designer."

And for the second time that day, Yuki soon found himself being grabbed by the wrist and forcibly dragged to another location.

* * *

Was it possible for the senses to be plagued by a color overload? If such a thing existed, that was definitely what Yuki was suffering right now.

Walking into Ayame's bedroom was a lot like walking into the center of the sun, minus the heat. The room was painted a vivid crimson with a deep purple carpet, and in the center was a bed outfitted with a bright gold comforter and canary yellow sheets.

_How does Ayame wake up to this every morning?_ Yuki thought, incredulously.

"Aha! Here it is!" the snake in question called triumphantly, snapping Yuki back to his current predicament.

With much gusto, the silver haired man pulled a large white box out of his closet (which looked big enough to serve as another small bedroom). Eagerly, he tore off the lid and drew the garment out for Yuki to inspect.

"No." the juunishi said flatly. "There is no way that I'm wearing that."

It wasn't the frilly; beribboned nightmare that he had been half expecting, but the reality was almost as mortifying. For the garment his brother held out before him was a pair of pyjamas.

It was a two piece set consisting of a long sleeved shirt and a pair of pants, both of which were made out of a soft, lilac colored material. But it wasn't the slightly feminine color that Yuki had a problem with. It was the fact that printed on the fabric was dozens of little gray cartoon rats.

"Why not?" Ayame whined, honestly unable comprehend why a teenage boy _wouldn't_ want to wear cute, fuzzy little animals on his back. "The color would bring out your eyes perfectly, and it's even made out of flannel for extra warmth."

"I said no." Yuki repeated, stubbornly.

Ayame looked at him pleadingly, but the rat wouldn't budge. Finally, he sighed dejectedly. "All right. I suppose that if you really want me to, I can find you something else to wear."

But despite his words, the disappointment was clearly reflected in the man's eyes, and Yuki found that despite his best efforts, he couldn't suppress the stab of guilt in his chest. His brother really wasn't asking for much, after all. And besides, who was to say that the next thing Ayame produced would be any better? He supposed throwing the man a small bone wasn't going to kill him.

"Fine," Yuki conceded reluctantly. "I'll put the stupid thing on."

As if he had pulled some kind of internal switch, Ayame's face was instantly transformed into one of pure, unadulterated joy. You would have thought that someone had just told him he had won the lottery.

"You will? Oh, that's wonderful! I've always dreamed of seeing you in something of my design! You won't regret it, I promise!"

He made a move as if to embrace Yuki, but remembering that the rat was still wet, settled for patting him on the shoulder instead.

Shrugging the appendage off, Yuki looked at his brother expectantly. "Well?"

But whatever hidden message he was trying to convey, Ayame wasn't picking up on it.

"Well what?" he asked, puzzled.

Yuki had assumed that most people would have been able to decipher what he wanted just by using common sense, but seeing that Ayame appeared to have a distinct lack of that, he decided to spell it out in words.

"Get out." Luckily, it only took two.

But rather than clarifying the situation, these words just seemed to make the snake more confused.

"What? Why?" he asked, blinking in surprise.

Yuki sighed in exasperation. "Because I have to change, idiot."

"So? It's nothing I haven't seen before. We are family, after all. I used to help change your diapers when you were a baby." Ayame remarked, proving that he truly knew nothing of personal boundaries.

Yuki flushed such a deep red that his face almost matched the walls.

"Just go!" he exclaimed, pushing the man towards the door.

"But this is my room!" Ayame protested, but pointing out this fact did nothing to prevent Yuki from slamming the door in his face.

* * *

Honestly, what had possessed his brother to make such and ensemble in the first place? Yuki could only wonder as he worked the buttons on the shirt (which were also rat shaped. How Ayame had managed to track down rat shaped buttons was beyond him.)

It was obviously made for him specifically, but Yuki couldn't fathom why. The snake couldn't have possibly anticipated that he would ever have a need for it, unless Ayame was clairvoyant or had somehow planned on Yuki getting lost and had then used his supernatural power over the weather to make it rain.

Nah, if Ayame had something like that at his disposal, Yuki was positive that he would have been aware of it. He had never known his brother to be able to keep a secret. Though there was the Zodiac curse…

Shaking his head lightly to rid himself of the ridiculous notions his mind had conjured, Yuki turned towards the mirror.

The pyjamas were a bit on the large side. The sleeves drooped over his palms and the cuffs almost covered his feet completely. All of this combined with the soft color and cheerful pattern made him look like a large, rather pretty child.

But all the same, it was only for one night, and they _were _quite comfortable. And aside from the overall bagginess, which Yuki was almost positive was intentional, they fit him perfectly (which begged the question on how Ayame had gotten a hold of his measurements).

With a sigh and a reminder to himself to keep a lookout for any hidden cameras (Yuki wouldn't put it past his brother to take pictures), he squared his shoulders and opened the door, inwardly preparing himself for the onslaught that he was sure was forthcoming.

Ayame did not disappoint. Immediately, Yuki found himself pulled into an almost bonecrushing embrace.

"Yuki! Look at you! You're so cute!" he exclaimed, beaming in pride.

"Don't make me hit you." Yuki muttered, glowering.

It was an empty threat really, mostly because his arms happened to be pinned to his sides, and were therefore incapable of doing much of anything. Nonetheless, there was still enough venom in his voice to encourage Ayame to release him.

But the snake recovered quickly, and soon he was chattering away like nothing had happened.

"Are you hungry? I can make you something if you are."

Yuki shook his head. "That's okay. There was pizza at the student council meeting."

"Well, that's good. If I remember correctly, those meetings could run a bit long at times, especially on an empty stomach. Ah, those were the days…"

Yuki had been certain that this thought process would lead to a rather longwinded story about Ayame's high school years, but then his brother unexpectedly cut himself off.

"I know!" Ayame declared suddenly, in a tone that made Yuki half expect him to announce that he had just discovered the cure for cancer. "I'll make us some tea, and then we can talk and strengthen our brotherly bond!"

Somehow, Yuki got the feeling that Ayame would be doing most of the talking, but all he did was shrug and walk to the couch, which the snake chose to take as an agreement.

Yuki got about half way across the room before Ayame called out to him.

"Yuki?"

Briefly, the boy paused and turned around. "Yes?"

"I know that you didn't actually _want_ to wear the pyjamas I made, but you did anyway, and I just wanted to say thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." Ayame said, for once entirely serious.

For a few long moments, the rat was completely dumbfounded, as serious had never been his brother's natural state. Finally, blushing slightly, he nodded.

This small action seemed to satisfy Ayame, and soon he was off again to make that promised tea.

_Tea would be nice, _Yuki decided. And then, figuring that Ayame wouldn't mind and not really caring if he did, the rat laid down on the couch to absorb as much of its warmth as he could.

Something hot would do him good. He was dry now, but that had done little to abate the shivers running through his body. It was almost as if the chill had seeped into his very bones.

* * *

"You're in for a treat!" Ayame announced, carrying a tray laden with cups in his hands. "Only two people in the world have ever had the privilege of trying my t—" He stopped.

There Yuki lay, curled up on the couch and fast asleep.

Quietly, Ayame set down the tray and gently pulled a blanket over Yuki's shoulders.

Affectionately, he brushed a few locks of hair out of the boy's eyes (something he wouldn't have dared to do if Yuki had been conscious) and smiled.

"Sweet dreams, little brother."

* * *

Believe it or not, this story actually started out as an extremely long oneshot. But the story just kept getting bigger and bigger until finally I had to separate it into several chapters. Because of this, most of the story is written, so you can probably expect an update fairly soon. But considering that this is _me_ I'm talking about, who knows?

Any and all reviews are always appreciated.

I'm always looking feedback, especially when it's constructive criticism.


	2. In Ayame's Hands

**Author's Note:** I told you all that I would update fast, and for perhaps the first time in my fanfiction writing career, I've delivered (at least, I have according to my standards). Though, it helps that I'm now out for summer vacation, and therefore don't have anything better to do than provide strangers on the Internet entertainment.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Fruits Basket. I do own this story however, and that knowledge somewhat helps to fill the void.

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**Chapter Two: In Ayame's Hands**

If asked, most people who knew Ayame would claim that he was a morning person. And while this was true, it wasn't necessarily accurate. He wasn't strictly limited to mornings alone. He was also a night person, an afternoon person, and a whatever-time-that-was-in-between person. Shigure had once told him that there was a period around 2:57 p.m. where he would start winding down briefly, but other than that, he usually had energy to burn. As a result, Ayame's sleeping pattern was hopelessly erratic, though not quite bad enough to rival Shigure.

But usually even he could be trusted to sleep in a little on a Sunday. So when the snake woke up at six thirty that morning, he wasn't able to understand why his body kept urging him to get up. It wasn't like he had anything pressing to attend to. The shop was closed today, so there wasn't any work to do down there, he didn't have any current plans that he was aware of, and Yuki probably wouldn't even be up yet…

Ayame bolted upright. Yuki!

Swiftly, the silver haired man jumped out of bed and ran towards the closet. After maybe half an hour of dressing, primping, and making sure that his appearance met his own high standards, he headed towards the living room.

Yuki was exactly where Ayame had left him last night. Curled up on the couch, though the blanket the snake had given him appeared to have been kicked off sometime during the night.

Ayame frowned, and tried not to think about the possible symbolism that entailed.

Briefly, he considered just letting the young rat sleep. In his experience, _nobody _liked being woken up unnecessarily at seven a.m. (Hatori certainly didn't) and maybe if he prepared breakfast before getting Yuki up, Ayame could convince his brother to stay a bit longer. The boy had fallen asleep before they had gotten the chance to talk much last night.

But then again, knowing Yuki, he probably would want to leave as soon as possible, and trying to force him stay would only make him dislike Ayame more. And besides, Tohru was probably worried sick about him. It would be selfish to keep him here.

Sighing in a soft, self sacrificing manner, Ayame reached out and gently shook his little brother's shoulders.

No response.

Frowning, Ayame shook him again, this time a little harder. Still nothing.

Okay, Shigure had warned him that Yuki could be a little difficult to wake up in the morning (actually, the word the dog had used was dangerous), but this was ridiculous.

"Yuki," he called. "Come on, wake up."

At last, there came a sign of life in the form of a grunt.

Somewhat encouraged by this show of acknowledgement, Ayame doubled his efforts.

"Time to get up, little brother! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and it's going to be a beautiful day!" Ayame cooed in a sing song voice. And it was true. The only evidence that it had rained at all last night were the wet streets and numerous puddles that had been left behind.

Ayame was rewarded by a slit of violet through cracked eyelids. For a few eerie seconds, Yuki just seemed to gaze right through him without truly seeing anything at all. Then his eyes were shut once again, closed off to Ayame as well as the rest of the world.

_I give up, _the snake thought, throwing his arms up in defeat. "Fine. Don't get up. If you're really _so_ eager to stay with me a bit longer, who am I to deny you?"

There was another small groan of irritation, but that might have been because Ayame was persisting in talking to someone who was still mostly asleep.

He shrugged, figuring that if the boy was so determined to sleep in, he might as well make breakfast after all.

As if somehow sensing Ayame's decision and trying to show his approval, Yuki turned over to his side, causing the blanket crumpled at his feet to fall off completely.

Smiling to himself, the snake picked it up and gently smoothed it over Yuki's form.

Only to have the juunishi kick it off once again.

Ayame blinked, and tried to ignore the sudden wave of hurt. Did Yuki really hate him so much he couldn't even accept a _blanket_ from him?

No, that was silly. His brother wasn't even fully conscious. There was no way dislike could go so far as to affect someone on an instinctive level. Ayame tried again.

"No," Yuki murmured, much to Ayame's surprise. It was the first real word he had said all morning. "Too hot."

_Too hot_? It couldn't be too hot. Ayame was always very careful with his thermostat. He had to be in order to avoid transformations.

Then again, looking closer at him, Yuki's face _did _look a bit flushed. Was that sweat on his brow?

Concern beginning to grow inside his chest, Ayame reached out and lightly touched his forehead.

And he ended up agreeing with the young rat's previous assessment. Too hot. Much too hot.

Eyes widening, Ayame made a beeline for the phone, rapidly dialing the number he knew by heart.

"Hello?" the familiar voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Haa-san!" Ayame cried, feeling certain that he had never been happier to hear the other man speak in his entire life. "Yuki's hot!"

There was a long stretch of silence before Hatori finally answered in an exasperated, slightly scolding tone, "Ayame, I know that you believe that those kinds of jokes are funny, but I really don't think that you should be saying things like that about your own brother."

"NO! Not _that_ kind of hot! I mean _hot, _hot! Feverish hot!"

"What?" Immediately, the voice changed into something clipped and professional as Hatori's medical training kicked in. "Yuki's sick?"

"Yes! He's sick and it's completely my fault. I should have made him change earlier! No, I should have told him to take a bath! Oh, I am the worst big brother in the entire world!" Ayame wailed, his voice rising to decibels that ordinarily would have been unheard of for a man.

"Ayame," Hatori said, somehow managing to keep a hold on the phone with his ear intact.

"He's going to die, isn't he? Yuki's dying and it's my fault!"

"Ayame," Hatori repeated.

But the snake was on a roll. "I should be arrested! I've murdered my little brother! What am I going to tell Tohru? She'll be heartbroken. And what about Haru? He'll go black and kill me when he finds out! You know how much he's always—"

"**AYAME!!!!!!" **

Stunned, the snake stared at the phone, almost unable to believe that the roar had come from Hatori.

"Calm down. Deep breaths." Hatori advised. But eventually the doctor had to tell him to stop, because at the rate Ayame was going, he sounded like he was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Now tell me what happened." Hatori commanded.

And Ayame did. He told the whole story from start to end, and as a testament on how worried he was, he told it completely without embellishments.

"It sounds like Yuki has the flu to me." Hatori remarked thoughtfully after the symptoms had been described. "That _has_ been going around lately. He probably caught it from someone at school, and when his body got chilled he became all the more vulnerable."

"So it is my fault then," Ayame said quietly, a bit more subdued now but still not quite past his guilt trip.

"I don't know, Ayame." the doctor admitted with a sigh. "He might have just gotten sick anyway. But, even if you _are_ to blame, there's no point in dwelling on what you could or should have done. All that matters right now is making sure that Yuki gets better."

The silver haired man smiled. "You're right. You always are. And I swear that I will do everything in my power to make sure my adorable little brother gets back to his vibrant, healthy self!"

Hatori, sweatdropping slightly at the sudden mood swing, shook his head. "That's good…I guess. If I'm right, Yuki's illness should mostly run its course in about twenty four hours. Just make sure he gets plenty of rest and drinks lots of fluids. Normally, I would come over and check on Yuki myself, but as I said before, this flu is going around. I have dozens of patients that I need to attend to, not to mention that Akito has also managed to catch this little bug. Between him and everyone else, I have no time to spare."

"That's all right! Just leave everything in my capable hands!"

Before Hatori could reply or give any further instructions, Ayame had hung up, leaving him staring at the phone in bewilderment.

Returning the receiver to its cradle, Hatori let out a small sigh. "Poor Yuki."

* * *

Yuki had always been a completely rational child. He had never been prone to dramatics or wild fantasies such as monsters lurking under his bed or in the shadows. He had never needed to be. Nothing in his imagination could have ever competed with the reality of Akito.

So, despite the fact that his head felt like someone had stuffed it with cotton, his limbs ached, and his body temperature kept switching from hot to cold at random intervals, Yuki knew that he couldn't be dying.

"Never fear, dear Yuki! Your wonderful elder brother is here to cater to your every need!"

However, the sight of Ayame in full nurse's garb, complete with hat (though he _was _wearing pants, thank God) was enough to make him wish that he was.

"What are you wearing?" Yuki demanded, sitting up slowly, much to his body's protest.

Ayame beamed and twirled around to give his brother a full view. "Do you like it? It's a feature from my new men's collection."

Yuki frowned, trying to fight off visions of what _else _Ayame might have created for his "men's collection".

"I'm leaving," Yuki declared flatly, slowly standing up on legs as shaky as a newborn foal's. He felt certain that if he didn't, one way or another he would end up finding out.

He managed maybe two steps before collapsing.

It all happened so fast. One second, Yuki's body was plummeting towards the ground, the next he was being held in place by a pair of arms.

"You can't leave today, Yuki." Ayame gently explained, balancing the boy precariously by the shoulders. "You're too sick. Haa-san thinks you might have the flu. I already called Shigure, and he said that it would be fine for you to stay another night."

Yuki shook his head. He was still too dazed by his tumble to recognize the logic in his elder brother's words, and the fever wasn't helping.

"No," he murmured. "I can't stay here. Not with you." Pushing Ayame's arms away, the rat attempted to walk once more, this time using the arm of the couch as support.

"Come on, Yuki! You can't just go! You're only going to make yourself worse!" Ayame protested, seizing the boy's arms and attempting to guide him back to the couch.

Yuki tried struggling, but unfortunately in his weakened state, Ayame's strength was far superior. Eventually the snake managed to force Yuki back on the sofa.

"Look," Ayame began, seeing that Yuki still looked as if he was ready to bolt any second. "I know you don't want to be here, but moving wouldn't be good for you right now. And you may not like me, but I'm still your big brother and I want to help you. So I'm asking you to please, just this once, let me take care of you."

Let _Ayame_ take care of him? The very idea went against Yuki's nature, and any other time he would have refused. But he was just so _tired_, and as he looked into his brother's pleading, genuinely concerned eyes, he could feel his resolve crumbling.

The boy sighed, and finally said, "Okay."

* * *

Yuki's illness is a new kind of flu that I've invented for this story. Therefore, if you see some symptoms that ordinarily wouldn't exist for influenza, or some key ones are just omitted altogether, it's because I am shamelessly tweaking them to fit my needs.

Please review! You're feedback makes my day!


	3. Of Memories and Nightmares

**Author's Note: **Wow! So many people reviewed for the second chapter! Usually, I get a lot of feedback for the first chapter, and then it dies off as I go on. Thanks everyone!

**Disclaimer: **I own absolutely nothing, except for this story and the flu that Yuki is currently suffering. I'm calling it the Bishonen flu. Beware! It's spreading. No pretty anime boy is safe.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Of Memories and Nightmares**

Ever since they were both children, Ayame had always admired Hatori. He was everything that Ayame was not, and had every quality that he sometimes wished he possessed. Where Ayame was flamboyant and loud, Hatori was quiet and reserved, and where Ayame was passionate and often overly enthusiastic, Hatori was logical and calculating. He was the yin to Ayame's yang, and there was no one else in the world the snake respected more.

Still, it might have been nice of the doctor to warn him about the possibility of vomit.

It happened around lunch time. Ayame had decided to make Yuki some chicken noodle soup. It was supposed to be the universal remedy, after all. At least, that's what it seemed like whenever someone got sick on TV.

At first, everything had been fine. Yuki's body had been going through a cold stage at the time, and the steaming bowl's warmth had been welcomed.

The contents had been emptied without incident, and afterwards Yuki had decided to begin the homework assigned over the weekend while Ayame sat at his desk in what he called his "Inspiration Corner" and sketched.

But then Ayame heard Yuki let out a faint groan.

The snake had immediately rushed to his brother's side and asked him what was wrong.

In response, Yuki had looked up at him, opening his mouth to answer…

And promptly threw up.

Miraculously, none of it had gotten on the juunishi's homework or on the furniture, and for that, Ayame was grateful. He wasn't so sure if his pants would ever be the same, though.

"I'm sorry." Yuki apologized weakly, once his head was finally able to emerge from the bucket Ayame had provided him with.

"It's all right." Ayame assured him, wearing fresh clothes. "I'm sure the stain will come out…eventually." The smell of course, was another matter entirely, but Ayame thought it best not to mention that.

"Besides," he added, noting Yuki's guilty expression, "I was never completely satisfied with that particular design, anyway. It didn't quite meet up to my high standards. Now that I think about it, I think shorts would probably work better than pants. This gives me a chance to make improvements!"

Yuki raised an eyebrow. Only Ayame would be able to find a silver lining in being covered by half digested broth and yesterday's pizza.

Ayame smiled lightly. "You know, Yuki, if you wanted more of my soup you could have just asked. There was no need to try and taste it a second time around."

His teasing was rewarded with a small, drowsy smile as Yuki leaned back among the numerous pillows Ayame had collected for him (like pretty much everything the man did, Ayame was taking his nursing duty very seriously to the point of extremes. As if that wasn't enough, he had also covered Yuki with as many blankets as he could find, and at Hatori's recommendation of fluids, had presented him with a tray of about forty different beverages.) Throwing up had taken a surprising amount out of him of him.

"Most people vomit because the food _doesn't _taste good, not the other way around." the rat pointed out dryly. Even though his eyes were drooping and he was running a high fever, you could still trust Yuki to come up with a snappy comeback.

Ayame chuckled. "That bad, huh?"

"No, not at all." Yuki replied. "It was…nice of you to make something for me."

Shockingly, Ayame merely waved the praise off. "It wasn't anything special. Just instant soup in a can."

"That's more than I can do." Yuki admitted. "I'm a horrible cook."

Ayame's eyes widened. His brother had always seemed to excel at everything he tried. It was difficult to imagine that there was something out there that he _wasn't _good at.

"I'm sure that's not true." Ayame assured him. It couldn't be. Yuki probably just thought he was worse than he actually was.

"It is, though." Yuki insisted. His eyes were completely closed by this point, and Ayame was beginning to wonder at how he was continuing with coherent conversation. "Before Honda-san moved in, Shigure and I used to take turns with the cooking. But after my fourth kitchen fire, Shigure suggested that I give up the pursuit, if only for my own safety."

Okay, maybe it _could_ be true.

"That does sound like something he would say." Ayame remarked with a smile.

When Yuki didn't answer after a few moments, the snake figured that he had finally fallen asleep.

Careful not to wake him, Ayame gently placed his hand on the boy's forehead, under the soft gray bangs. He was so cute when he was sleeping. That somber, serious expression he constantly wore softened in slumber, making his already beautiful face seem almost childlike.

It was strange, Ayame reflected, being here for him like this. In truth, all Ayame had ever really wanted from his brother was to be needed. To be trusted and depended on like a true big brother.

But Yuki had never seemed to need anyone. He had a level of self-sufficiency that Ayame admired. But it didn't leave any room for other people, and it hurt to know that in the end, he was ultimately unnecessary.

At least, he had been until today.

But this wasn't what Ayame had wanted. He didn't want his little brother to be hot, clammy, and so sick he couldn't even take a sip of water without it coming back up again. Even now, the skin underneath Ayame's hand was incredibly warm. The last time he had taken Yuki's temperature, the boy had been at 102 degrees. Ayame was beginning to think that getting him a cold compress or something along those lines might be a good idea.

The rat in question sighed suddenly, startling the snake and causing him to withdraw his hand so fast you would have thought that Yuki had just burned him (which considering his fever, wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility).

"This is nice." Yuki murmured softly without opening his eyes.

Ayame stared at the boy incredulously. _Nice?_ What could possibly be nice about getting sick? Ayame was beginning to wonder if the fever was going to Yuki's head.

As if sensing the man's confusion, Yuki elaborated. "It's nice to have a real conversation with you for once. You never talk to me."

If anything, that only made Ayame all the more incredulous. "But Yuki, I talk to you all the time!" he protested. If there was one thing he had never been guilty of, it was a lack of verbal communication.

"No." Yuki answered flatly. "You talk _at _me, not to me." And then the young rat turned on to his side and went back to sleep, leaving his sibling even more puzzled than he had been at the start of the conversation.

He talked _at _Yuki, but not to him? What did that mean? Ayame knew that it had to be important, but he didn't understand. He never did.

Sighing, Ayame stood up to get Yuki his compress. If he couldn't understand his brother, he could at least cool his body temperature.

It wasn't long after he put the cool cloth on Yuki's forehead that the phone rang, and Ayame found himself once again heading for the kitchen.

"Hello." he said into the receiver.

"Hey Aya! How's Yuki-kun doing?"

Ayame smiled slightly at Shigure's familiar voice. "Well, he's resting at the moment, but he seems to a lot better than he was this morning. I doubt he'll be able to go to school tomorrow, but if I can get his fever to go down, I think he might be able to come home."

"That's great! Tohru-kun is very worried about him, and while Kyo-kun claims that he doesn't care what happens to that "damn rat", he hasn't been quite the same since yesterday. I think he misses Yuki-kun."

Ayame chuckled at the thought, but it was rather halfhearted.

"Aya? Are you all right?" Shigure asked concernedly. "You sound strange."

Ayame frowned. Yuki's earlier words were still fresh in his mind. Normally, he would go to Hatori for assistance on something like this, but the doctor was busy right now. Maybe Shigure could help instead. He was known to give relatively good advice from time to time.

"Can I ask you something, Shigure?" Ayame inquired, feeling uncharacteristically nervous.

"Shoot." the dog replied easily.

Ayame took a deep breath and plunged forward. "Is there a difference between talking to someone and talking at someone?"

His question was greeted with silence, and because he felt as if some kind of explanation was in order, Ayame quickly added, "Yuki mentioned it."

"I see." Shigure said. It took a few more moments of silence before the dog was finally able to take in a breath and answer.

"Aya, all joking aside, you know I love you, right?" Shigure began in a serious tone. "You're one of my best friends, and I wouldn't change you for the world."

"But?" Ayame prompted.

"…But, you're also one of the most self centered people I've ever met."

The words hurt, but Ayame knew Shigure wouldn't say such a thing without reason, so he kept silent and allowed his friend to continue without protest.

"Whenever you enter a room, you have a tendency to take over. I'm not saying that's always a bad thing. In fact, I think your confidence and sociability is admirable."

Once again, Ayame had the distinct feeling that a but was about to follow.

"But," Shigure said, as predicted, "Yuki-kun isn't like that. He would never admit it, but he's actually very shy. When put next to you, you end up eclipsing him completely, and the poor kid isn't able to get a word in edgewise. By the time your visit is over, he just ends up tired, irritated, and a little overwhelmed."

"_You talk __**at**__ me, not to me."_

Now that he thought about it, the few conversations he had with his brother _were_ usually rather onesided. There was always so much Ayame wanted to say, and it was hard to turn himself off at times. He couldn't believe he had never noticed. Yuki had never said anything...

And that, he supposed, was precisely the point.

"What do I do?" Ayame cried. He had always thought that he had been trying to bond with Yuki, but in reality he had only been pushing him further away, and the idea of that was devastating.

"I'm not saying that you should change yourself, just to slow down some times. Let Yuki-kun speak. And most importantly, when he does, _listen._ Just listen. Hopefully, over time as Yuki-kun gets used to you, he'll learn how to keep up with your pace and find openings for himself."

Ayame smiled affectionately. "Thanks Gure-san. Your advice helped me a lot. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Luckily, you won't ever have to find out. I'll always be by your side, Aya." Shigure replied, his voice sugary sweet.

Picking up on his friend's cue, the snake cooed in reponse, "As will I. And even if I can't be beside you, the power of my love will stretch beyond the great divide to reach out to you!"

"Oh, Ayame." Shigure sighed. And simultaneously, despite the fact that the two men couldn't actually see each other, they both smiled and gave a thumbs up before ending the conversation.

But as soon as Ayame put the phone down, his smile faded.

With slow, somber steps, he made his way back to Yuki, sitting down in a nearby chair. And then he simply stared down at the boy's peaceful face, as if he thought that if he looked at him long enough, Ayame could figure out what he was thinking.

With a sigh, the snake eventually gave up the pursuit and instead reached out to change the cloth on Yuki's forehead.

A soft whimper escaped Yuki's lips.

Ayame froze, his hand hanging limply in the air, just inches from his brother's face. He had to have heard wrong. Yuki wouldn't—

There it was again, only this time it didn't stop there. "Please, Akito. I'm sorry. I'll be good, I promise. Let me out. It's too dark. I'm scared. No! Don't go! Don't leave me here alone!"

Ayame's eyes widened, and once again his hand began to move. He wanted to comfort Yuki. Wake him up. Do _something_.

But just as quickly as the cries started, they fell silent, and soon Ayame's arm found its way back to his side.

What had Akito _done _to Yuki? Ayame had always been aware that his brother was deeply afraid of the Zodiac god. All the juunishi were to some degree. But until now, Ayame had never really speculated on _why_. It had never occurred to him that his brother might have been undergoing some kind of abuse.

Why hadn't Yuki said anything? He could have gotten help, or at least a shoulder to cry on.

"_Nii-san? Can I talk to you? I had a bad dream. It was about Akito..."_

The memory shot through Ayame's brain like an electric current. He had _tried, _the snake realized. He had tried to talk to him about it, to reach out with his tiny little hand for someone to listen and understand. But Ayame had been too caught up in his own crap to bother paying attention to a little boy's suffering. Even if said little boy was his own brother.

"And here I am, thinking that I'm making it all up to you and becoming a better person." Ayame said, laughing bitterly. "But the truth is, I haven't changed at all since then, have I? Even now, I'm still only thinking about myself." He reached out to touch Yuki's sweaty hair. "You deserve so much better than me."

"That's not true." Yuki whispered. His eyes were open, and for the first time in hours, completely clear. The kid was apparently remarkable at faking unconsciousness.

"How long have you been awake?" Ayame asked, startled. But anyone could decipher his real question. _How much did you hear?_

"It's not." Yuki repeated earnestly, choosing to ignore both voiced and implied inquiries. "I mean, yes, you do drive me crazy a lot of the time, and sometimes I wish you wouldn't come on quite so strong, but at least you're _trying. _Maybe you're not perfect, but then neither am I. That just means we're going to have to try a little harder."

Ayame smiled softly, surprised and deeply touched. "I can do that."

Yuki nodded, his eyes once again drooping closed. "Good."

"I should let you sleep." Ayame said, beginning to stand up. But then Yuki grabbed his wrist.

"Could you…stay with me?" he asked shyly. "Just for a little while? I've been having bad dreams."

Ayame smiled, grabbed Yuki's hand and gave it a little squeeze (and was slightly astonished when the rat allowed him to do so). "Of course, little brother. I'll stay for as long as you need me."

Yuki smiled sleepily. "Thank you…Nii-san."

As Ayame watched his brother's face once again become peaceful with slumber, he held on to that hand. It was amazing how well Yuki hid his pain. Unless you looked very carefully, the traces it left behind were impossible to detect. And even then, such signs could easily be explained away with the right words.

But today, Ayame had seen the truth, and he knew that he could no longer be fooled by the young rat's seemingly flawless mask.

Someday, he hoped that Yuki would feel comfortable enough to let him truly see the person that hid behind it. To be able to come to him with his fears and nightmares.

Maybe he _was_ being selfish, asking for Yuki's forgiveness. Maybe the only reason he wanted it at all was to make himself feel better. Maybe.

But he had to keep trying. After all, this wasn't just about him anymore. Ayame wasn't sure if it ever had been.

* * *

I really laid the fluff on thick at the end there! I hope nobody thought Yuki was out of character. I know he isn't usually quite so…mushy with his older brother, but in my defense, he _does _have a fever, not to mention he just heard Ayame's heartfelt confession after just having a nightmare. As for Ayame's small flashback, I read in Gia's story _Something More Beautiful _(which I highly recommend, by the way) that she heard that in that epic scene in the manga where a young Yuki is reaching out for Ayame, he is trying to tell his brother about a dream he had. If anyone knows which chapter that conversation takes place in, I would greatly appreciate the information. I like to make my stories as accurate as possible.

As always, please review!


	4. Epilogue

**Author's Note: **I would have gotten this chapter up sooner, but I've been really busy lately because last week was my mom's birthday and my family had to get ready for her party. My sister and I even made a cake for her. However, because we forgot the baking soda we ended up baking brownies. Oh well, our hearts were in the right place and they tasted okay. I also just discovered a new anime that I've been preoccupied with lately (which still isn't a very good reason to neglect you guys). I'm here now though, and ready to present you all with the **Last Chapter** (bold and capital letters, because it's serious like that).

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, except for this plot and a little too much time on my hands.

* * *

**Epilogue**

When Yuki woke up the next morning, the first thing he saw was his brother. He was sleeping in a nearby chair with his neck hanging precariously to the side in what was probably a very uncomfortable position.

Now, this was not what Yuki was typically accustomed to seeing first thing in the morning (in fact, most days he was usually already dressed and halfway through a bowl of cereal by the time he was even aware of his surroundings). As such, it took him a few seconds for his memory to catch up with his environment before was able to slowly sit up and lean over to shake Ayame lightly.

"Wake up, Nii-san." Yuki called, trying to ignore the odd sense of déjà vu that came with the action. Had they done this before? Maybe, but Yuki got the distinct feeling that at the time, the roles had been reversed.

However, unlike his own typical wake up routine, all it took was the slightest touch for Ayame's eyes to immediately snap open as he bolted upright.

"Good morning, dear little brother!" he chirped brightly. "How are you feeling today?"

Yuki blinked slowly, a bit stunned. He had never seen anyone wake up so…chipper before. "I feel fine, I guess. A lot better than yesterday at least."

Ayame beamed. "That's great!" And then, just as Yuki had predicted, the man's hands went up to support his neck. "I on the other hand, have seen better days. I could have picked a better sleeping position. My neck is killing me."

"Why did you stay here then?" Yuki asked. "You could have just slept in your own bed."

"Why did I stay?" the snake repeated, seeming surprised at such a question. "Because you asked me to of course!"

Yuki opened his mouth, ready to protest that he would never have done such a thing, but then he closed it, eyes widening at a sudden spark of memory. He had, hadn't he?

Now that the shroud of lethargy was retreating, yesterday was becoming clearer. It hadn't been very eventful. Most of the day had been spent sleeping. There were the occasional bouts of consciousness in which his temperature was taken or food was attempted (with encouraging results. At the time, the rat's fever had definitely been going down, and while he had still felt slightly nauseous after a few bites of food, it hadn't come back up.) But these excursions were few and far in between.

And in all that time, Ayame had never left his side. Every time Yuki had opened his eyes, the snake had been there, either sketching, watching TV or sometimes merely watching over him. The only occasions he actually moved was when Yuki had needed something.

In the moment, it had been nice. He couldn't remember Ayame ever acting quite so…brotherly before, and Yuki had genuinely enjoyed the attention and feeling of security he had provided.

But eventually, all good things must come to an end, and now that the moment had passed and Yuki's head was finally free of fever, all he felt was embarrassment and shame at his own helplessness.

"Can I go home now?" The question made its way out of the boy's mouth almost involuntarily. Home, where Kyo picked stupid fights for the smallest reasons, and Shigure made perverted comments to Tohru, who somehow remained oblivious to it all. Home, back where everything made _sense_.

Yuki needed that consistency. It was so unlike here, where all the characters seemed to be acting off script. Including himself. His brother was not supposed to be caring and considerate. He wasn't supposed to make him feel safe and more secure than Yuki could ever remember. And Yuki was not supposed to _like _it.

Unaware of the inner workings of the young rat's mind, Ayame merely looked a bit startled at the sudden request. "Well yes, I suppose you can. But are you sure you don't want to stay a while longer? Mine will be back soon, and she should be able to handle the shop—"

"No." Yuki said quickly. "I have to go home." He didn't think his psyche could take being here any longer. He was already on the verge of falling apart.

Ayame smiled weakly, trying and succeeding (just barely) to keep the hurt he felt stabbing into his chest out of sight. Apparently, he was unnecessary once again. "All right. I'll go and get your clothes then. I had them cleaned for you. I hope you don't mind."

Yuki shook his head mutely, and as soon as his brother handed him his freshly laundered school uniform, he disappeared into the bathroom without a word.

* * *

Ayame had been foolish to hope that things between him and Yuki would be different. What had he expected? Years of bitterness and animosity all to be cured in a single night? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

With a small, self-loathing sigh, Ayame absentmindedly stroked he soft flannel that was Yuki's nightshirt. He had suggested earlier that the boy should at least take a quick shower before he took off, and for once Yuki had followed the advice. But not before depositing the handmade pyjamas, neatly folded outside the bathroom door.

Ayame had always firmly believed that clothes were the greatest form of expression. Whether it was a bright and flashy display or a simple, conservative ensemble, you could tell a great deal about a person depending on what they were wearing. You just had to know how to look.

It was for this reason Ayame truly loved his job. He liked the idea of contributing to how a person perceived themselves or others while adding his own distinctive flair. In his opinion, there was no greater reward in his work than making another feel good about themselves, and maybe even a little more secure in their own body.

But his philosophy worked both ways. Not many people realized this, but clothing revealed much about the designer as well.

Ayame had made many things for Yuki over the years. Every birthday, every Christmas, and often just when Ayame got the whim, another article of clothing was added to the collection. He probably had an entire wardrobe by now, right down to socks and underwear. But his brother had never seen a single garment. Because to Ayame, it wasn't as simple as giving him a shirt or a pair of pants. It meant baring his soul to the one person that mattered.

Ayame wasn't sure how he had mustered up the courage to show these pyjamas that rainy night that somehow seemed so long ago. He hadn't really thought about the implications at the time, just that Yuki was wet, he needed something to wear, and that they would look cute on him. It wasn't until he had held them out for the boy did he realize what he was doing and become anxious. Because right then, looking at Yuki's horror-struck expression, he had been so sure that Yuki was going to shoot him down once again. And he knew that there was only so much rejection a person could take.

So when the rat ended up reluctantly agreeing to wear Ayame's creation, he had been delighted. He had thought, perhaps foolishly, that there just might be hope for them after all. But maybe that had been just too much to expect from a silly pair of purple pjs.

So intent was Ayame on his own thoughts, he didn't even notice that the sound of running water had disappeared.

"Nii-san?"

Ayame started, resulting in him dropping the sleepwear in question on the floor. "Yes?" he asked, turning to his now freshly clothed little brother.

"I'll be going now." Yuki informed him. "Thank you for your hospitality these past few days."

There was no warmth in Yuki's expression of gratitude. Just politeness as sharp as ice. And in that moment, watching his brother turn away, Ayame knew with irrefutable certainty that if he allowed Yuki to walk out that door, nothing would ever change. The wall between them would forever remain, and nothing Ayame did would ever be able to heal that rift.

"Yuki…" he called out desperately. But his brother wouldn't stop, wouldn't look at him, and every step he took led them closer to being broken beyond repair. "I'm sorry."

The statement seemed so inadequate. He couldn't fix sixteen years of pain with two simple words. But at the same time, those words somehow contained everything. _Sorry I hurt you. Sorry I ignored you when you needed me. Sorry that I left you alone. Sorry, sorry, sorry. _

And it _was_ enough to make Yuki freeze in his tracks, hearing all the man said and more importantly, all that he had not. It was the first time Ayame had ever apologized to him. It had always been implied, but somehow the words had never been spoken.

"I know." Yuki whispered, so quiet that it was barely audible. And a part of him _did _know and longed to accept that. But another part of him, the lonely, angry child locked deep inside his heart kept telling him that his brother only brought pain and disappointment. And Yuki was so tired of being disappointed. He couldn't reconcile the two pieces, so he ended up caught in between. Not condemning the man, but not forgiving him either.

"I hurt you, Yuki. I know that. I was an idiot that was too selfish to listen to your problems or be aware of your pain. Perhaps on some level, I still am. And I know that I can't possibly ask you to forgive me. I just want you to realize that I _am_ sorry and that I love you. I love you so much."

Yuki blinked, unexpected tears blurring his vision. Tears of anger, frustration and aching sadness. He loved Ayame too. He always had in a way, but a part of him wished that it wasn't so. Hate was so much easier than love. Love was what made it impossible to hate his brother; love that had made his childhood rejection hurt so much that it affected him even now. It was love that tore him in two.

Maybe Ayame was selfish, but Yuki was a coward, always so afraid of being hurt. How did the man do it? How did he constantly leave himself bare and vulnerable to scathing words and condescension? Yuki had pushed him away so many times, and yet his brother kept walking towards him with his arms outstretched. Yuki knew he wasn't ready to reach back, knew that it would be a long time before he would be able to. But maybe, just maybe, he could muster up the courage to take a step in the right direction.

Slowly, he turned around and walked back towards his brother, looking up at him straight in the eye. "…Would you like to walk back to Shigure's with me?" Yuki asked, shyly.

Ayame smiled. "Yes, I would like that very much."

Eventually, as Ayame's shop became a blur in the distance, the two managed to strike up a tentative conversation that grew in strength as time went on. Yuki talked to Ayame about gardening and the student council, and the snake listened and occasionally jumped in with a comment or an story of his youth, often without warning. And instead of exhausting himself by getting angry or trying to interrupt, Yuki merely listened and waited patiently for him to finish speaking. And then he simply continued on with whatever he had been saying previously as if no interruption had ever existed.

It was a complicated, jerky form of communication, and probably would have been extremely hard to follow for an outside observer, but it had its own odd sort of rhythm, and it _worked _for them, which was really the only thing that mattered.

Ayame would have liked to think that incredible progress had been made the last few days regarding his and Yuki's relationship. But in reality, it was impossible to judge how far they had really gotten. Deep down, he knew that they had a long way to go before anyone could truly be healed. But right now, in this moment, it didn't matter.

All he knew was that, for the first time in the history of their relationship, when he put his arm around Yuki's shoulders, his brother didn't pull away.

* * *

I'm really satisfied with how this chapter turned out. It is so much better compared to my rough draft. It turned out really fluffy again, but I don't feel it was so much that it was out of character. This story went a lot farther then I originally thought it would. For example, at first Yuki's pyjamas were merely meant to be a funny plot device. Who knew there was so much symbolism attached?

I want to thank everyone that has reviewed or will review for this story in the future. You guys are my inspiration. Now, it's time for me to get back to my Sonic the Hedgehog story. It's been so long since I updated for that, my readers over there are probably ready to kill me. I hope everyone enjoyed my story as much as I enjoyed writing it for you!

**P.S: **If anyone was willing to draw a picture of Yuki in his rat pyjamas and send it to me, I would seriously love them forever. I would do it myself, except I can't draw :(


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